


Hunters' Highway

by Gecko47



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Canon ages, Chaotic Good, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm only on like episode 30 so, Kurapika is TIRED, My First Work in This Fandom, POV Third Person Limited, Parental Leorio Paladiknight, Road Trips, Slow To Update, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, illumi zoldyck is the worst, it's four idiots in a car what did you expect, no later spoilers, they're in America because I didn't want to research road trips in Japan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:41:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27307183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gecko47/pseuds/Gecko47
Summary: "Can we pull over there?" Kurapika asked. First thing he'd said in hours."Yeah sure. You okay?" Leorio frowned as he turned the car off the main road and down an exit. He really hoped Kurapika was okay. Without him along for the ride, Leorio would just be doing a glorified version of babysitting Gon and Killua.It wasn't that he disliked the boys. Gon was a good kid: hardworking, earnest, slightly self centered, but so was everyone at that age. Killua on the other hand was 100 lbs of pure brattish spite hidden behind the sweet face of an angel. But Leorio was still taking them across country, so. He cared enough to do that.Kurapika nodded, folding the corner of the book. He must really hate it if he was going to desecrate it like that. "I'm alright. We've just been on the road for a few hours." he said, which translated to, 'please stop this hell ride, I'm literally dying.'
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

Leorio believed things didn't necessarily need to have a glaring flaw to go horribly wrong. Sometimes they just did. It was always a gamble whether or not something would work out and no matter how much preparation was made, losing was clearly always an option.

And sometimes, he felt like he could sense the upcoming disaster in the air, like the suspicious calm before a storm. This was one of those times, unfortunately. He knew he was going to have to be ready for it, whatever _it_ was.

In the backseat he heard Killua announce "Punch-buggy-no-punch-backs-" then proceed to sock Gon in the shoulder. Over the past hour he had grown very familiar with that noise. It was only rivaled by the alternate: Gon smacking Killua back.

Their Nintendo batteries weren't even dead yet.

They did this because because they _wanted_ to.

Leorio was glad he was in the front seat, steering the car instead of getting pummeled by those two. He turned up the radio to block out the noise. It was some commercial that had been looping since they started driving. He still wasn't sure what it was about, but he did think the woman narrating sounded cute. There was no way of actually knowing, sure, but her voice was chipper and young, so that was hopeful. A man could dream. Or maybe Leorio was just lonely.

He shouldn't be. He was in a car with three friends on a trip to a convention a few states away. They met last year and agreed to pool rides like this for convenience, because if there was anything better than attending a con, it was going with a gang.

Kurapika was reading in the passenger seat, crowded by his luggage. He had been reading since they entered the freeway: All YA romance books because apparently someone online (reddit) insulted his family by sarcastically saying, "Oh, so your bloodline is too noble to read Twilight? I hope it doesn't taint your princely eyes!" That was all the information they got as to why Kurapika was putting himself through this. But for now his bag was stuffed full of those novels and he was exacting his revenge by getting severely carsick while glaring at the pages like he might burn a hole through them through sheer force of hatred.

He was typically a pretty smart guy, but this was a matter of pride and crimes against literature. It brought out the worst in him.

In the backseat Gon and Killua were at it again. They had grown bored of the punching and now were looking for new forms of...entertainment.

"Hey, Leorio! Can I take Gon's fishing rod, tie the handle to the trunk, then hold the line and skateboard behind the car?" Killua asked. Gon nodded enthusiastically.

"Absolutely not." Leorio said without looking up.

"C'mon! My brother lets me do it all the time!"

"Your brother is a danger to society,"

Killua sighed tragically and Gon patted him on the shoulder. He suggested they just speed run a video game, and that was that. Now they were racing to see who could get their Nintendos out of their backpacks faster.

As they logged on, Leorio realized he was scowling. Of course, he was always uncomfortable by the mention of Illumi, Killua's brother. A master of disguise and a literal unfeeling sociopath, he had actually dragged Killua from the con that first year before the closing ceremony. Or rather, he had showed up, muttered a few things, and manipulated Killua into breaking an expensive decoration and got his little brother banned for life (They had a fake license this year). Anyway, thanks to Illumi, Killua had been trapped in his house for a year with no contact with his friends- that is until Gon found an open window and snuck him out. Now Killua was acting like no time had passed. No imprisonment, no separation trauma, no talk of what had happened behind closed doors.

Would Killua's parents report his disappearance? Honestly, probably not. Leorio had the dreadful suspicion they already knew exactly where their runaway son was. Illumi was probably tracking them down right now.

Great.

More stress for Leorio.

"Can we pull over there?" Kurapika asked. First thing he'd said in hours. 

Leorio spotted what he had been gesturing to. Off the flat freeway, among the plains of dry unused ground, was a tiny blurry shopping center coming closer with every beat.

"Yeah sure. You look a little green, actually. You okay?" Leorio frowned as he turned the car off the main road and down an exit. He really hoped Kurapika was okay. Without him along for the ride, Leorio would just be doing a glorified version of babysitting Gon and Killua.

It wasn't that he disliked the boys. Gon was a good kid: hardworking, earnest, slightly self centered, but so was everyone at that age. Killua on the other hand was 100 lbs of pure brattish spite hidden behind the sweet face of an angel. But Leorio was still taking them across country, so. He cared enough to do that.

Kurapika nodded, folding the corner of the book. He must really hate it if he was going to desecrate it like that. "I'm alright. We've just been on the road for a few hours." he said, which translated to, 'please stop this hell ride, I'm literally dying.'


	2. Chapter 2

The first stop of the trip was at a tiny shopping center curled around a sole gas station that probably received more foot traffic than anywhere else in the surrounding 70 miles. While Leorio refilled the tank, Gon and Killua ran off to the only restaurant in sight (a fast food joint barely clinging to life) and Kurapika staggered after them.

A couple minutes later, Leorio found them seated at a booth near the window, facing the expanse of flat blankness that was the freeway. Kurapkia had his eyes shut and was apparently trying to meditate away his carsickness. Gon was across from him, kicking his heels against the metal base of the sofa. He always got like this when anticipating food or something else great - very very fidgety. A poorly compressed bungee of energy, that's what he was. Leorio couldn't blame him - it was his own fault the boy had been stuck in a car for the past several hours straight.

(maybe he should've stopped more)

(yeah, and pulled over to the let the kids sprint through the flat drylands until they were too tired to move)

(no, that's what dog owners did)

Killua was at the front, ordering food. Only for himself and Gon apparently. Leorio supposed he wouldn't've wanted anything to begin with, same applied to Kurapika for obvious reasons. It was a little surprising that he knew Gon's order in its entirety, even though they hadn't talked once about fast food. Had he remembered it from last year? If so, that was mildly impressive.

However...Leorio's train of thought twisted and he felt his frown tighten as he watched Killua talk.

"Is this safe? What if they recognize him as the missing kid?" Leorio whispered as Killua pocketed some napkins.

Gon frowned and his heel-tapping stopped. "Hm. I don't think so. I didn't notice any change in their behavior when they saw him." He squinted at the man behind the counter, who was giving directions to those in the kitchens. "But I might be wrong. I'll get Killua-" he made a move to stand up, but Kurapika stopped him with a small head shake.

"Your instincts are usually right. Leaving right now would be even more suspicious." He warned.

He had a point.

Until this moment, Leorio had been too distracted by other things to properly process the Killua situation. But now that it had been addressed, it was all he could think about.

Technically, they had kidnapped Killua from his home.

Well, no, he came willingly and happily. And is it really kidnapping if another child does it? Not to mention how insanely screwed up his home life must be for his parents to literally trap him in his house.

This was a good thing. 

For Killua.

Yeah.

A good thing they could get in major trouble for.

While Leorio was having a mini downward spiral into panic, Killua returned with frosties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These are the two chapters I have currently. Thankfully I have an idea where I think this story is going to go. We'll be seeing Hisoka soon...hooray?


	3. Chapter 3

Leorio wasn't sure when the 'let's-take-a-break-so-Kurapika-doesn't-get-sick' stop turned into a 'Gon-and-Killua-want-to-explore-the-entire-shopping-center-for-an-hour-and-a-half' stop. It just happened. Somethings were inevitable.

Finally, after what felt like ages, he got them in the car and the motley group began to drive off.

"Don't even think about it." Leorio muttered, flashing Kurapika an untrusting glance. The latter boy turned, looking indignant. It didn't help that his hand had 'mysteriously' slipped in the book bag. With a small huff, he crossed his arms.

They settled into an almost peaceful driving environment. Gon and Killua were still loud enough to indicate they were awake, but as far as Leorio could tell, they weren't punching each other anymore.

As they waited in a brief congestion of traffic, Leorio turned on one of his audio books - a romance western that was in no way the next War & Peace, but good enough for him to feel cultured while listening to it. He did this for the sake of Kurapika, who was still staring out the window. Obviously, he didn't really react, but after a few minutes, Leorio could've sworn his posture had relaxed a little. Which was good.

Someone in the book said something particularly vulgar and both of the boys in the back hid their laughter.

"My Aunt Mito would kill me-" Gon said, like the sheltered, home-schooled boy he was.

"My mom would kill me anyway," Killua added brightly, like the mishandled, formerly-house-arrested boy _he_ was.

Conversation dried up after that and they mostly just listened. It was calm - Leorio made an exit, Kurapkia didn't move at all, and Gon/Killua went back to whatever non-violent game they were playing (Leorio wasn't really paying attention).

Then it all fell apart.

"Hey, Leorio." It started when Kurapika spoke.

"Hm?"

"We're being followed." His gaze did not turn away from the window.

Leorio's eyes widened. Gon/Killua went silent in the back.

"It's not Illumi."

Huge sigh of relief.

"Don't pause like that!" Leorio chuckled nervously.

Kurapika didn't look amused. "So? He hasn't left our side since we got back in the car. He's on the right-"

Leorio was driving, so he couldn't quite look over at the suspicious car. Instead he asked, "What's so wrong about this one? Is it a white van with 'free candy' written on the side?"

"If they actually had candy, I'd beat up a creep for it. And win, obviously," Killua said, squinting out his window. He didn't look tense- his tone was nonchalant.

"Oh! That reminds me of something!" Gon was rummaging through his backpack now, wearing a sheepish grin. "Remember last year when we made all those plans to spend Halloween together?"

Leorio didn't even vaguely remember that conversation, but Killua had. "Right, never happened, did it?" He said with a note of bitterness.

"No...but I saved you this!" Gon's sad expression vanished as he pulled out a ziplock bag of assorted Halloween goods- all kinds of candies with differently colored wrapping. "I know its a bit old now, but I've been preserving it in the freezer. It's for you!"

Killua took the bag. His eyes were huge. "-Really? Uh...thanks, Gon!" Even though he had been fairly upbeat for this whole trip, the earnestness in his voice took Leorio by surprise.

Gon smiled, though his eyebrows were knit, "..Yep!"

"Killua, put that in your bag. You two both had frosties an hour ago-" Leorio interjected, before Killua could open it. Seriously - was he the only one with any reason?

Any reason that made sense at least.

Kurapika was glaring at him. "We're being followed. Why aren't you taking this seriously?"

Leorio went defensive. "Look. We've been on the same three highways for the entire day. Practically a straight line. People are bound to be taking the same route as us, it's how the road works." _You're just overly wary because-_

"He had many opportunities to turn in other directions. And it's not a straight line. I've been watching-"

"Well, I have been driving the entire time." Leorio objected. "While you were getting carsick."

Kurapika flared. His mouth was a thin white line and his eyes gleamed, reflecting the light of the control board and throw it back at Leorio in a red glare. "I can drive if you're tired," He said quietly.

"You only have a learner's permit." Leorio pointed out.

"That's fine as long as you're in the passenger seat. Let's pull over: let me drive," he insisted.

Leorio had made a mistake somewhere a few sentences ago, but he wasn't about to admit it. "No. That will waste time, and after the shopping center fiasco, we're going to need to hurry."

Kurapika's voice was a low tone of reason, "If we stop for a minute, we can check if he's really following us."

If their stalker left them alone after they pulled over, he could hold that over Kurapika and keep his role of the driver. Leorio resolved that that was a good enough plan and turned the wheel. They drove off the main highway and the car gave a lurch as it rumbled over tar and unswept dirt.

The four unloaded from the car, "That's him." Kurapika stated, pointing at a sleek, black vehicle. It was glossy, expensive and well kept, but also oddly sharp in places, like someone had designed a weapon instead of a car. Beside the license plate of its retreating back were a few stickers - not about family, celebrations, politics or clipart. Instead, it was emblazoned with...several playing cards?

Then, it was just a black blur on the horizion.

"See?" Leorio turned to Kurapika, who had gone stoically silent. He glared at the ground (a passive-aggressive-I-don't-want-to-see-your-ugly-face look) and gave a small nod.

"Hey so-" Gon spoke up. Both Leorio and Kurapika turned to him, not wanting to look at each other.

"I actually made eye contact with the guy driving that car," Gon said with a small frown, "While I was handing the candy to Killua. It happened so fast but - he smiled at me. Not in a nice way. And he was looking directly _at_ me - I don't think this was coincidence," Gon looked more confused than anything.

Killua huffed. "Weirdo."

This unnerved Leorio - sure, the car was probably a mile away from them by now, but Gon's instincts had yet to be wrong. If Gon thought the driver of that car was bad news, then crap, they were all screwed.

"I'll be taking the driver's seat." Said Kurapika, like it was an honorably duty he was forced to fullfill. Leorio frowned, but had no choice but to agree.

"Right...everyone, back in the car."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oOOO I WONDER WHO THAT IS-  
> also I'm planning on having Kurapika and Leorio more or less at each other's throats for this story, like how they were in the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> Welp there goes the first chapter. Expect this story to go slowly. Also, PLEASE don't spoil me. I've only just passed the Heaven's Arena arc and I'm loving it. Anyway, have a nice day!


End file.
